Revenue protection policy
Penalty fare changes from January 23
Penalty Fare charges in England have changed from 23 January 2023. Charges for travelling without a valid ticket have increased to £100 plus the price of the full single fare applicable to your intended journey served by that train. If paid before the end of the period of 21 days, beginning with the day following the day on which the Penalty Fare is issued, then this is reduced to £50, plus the price of the full single fare applicable.
This is a national increase across the railway. You can find out more about the change on the Department for Transport website.
Revenue Protection and Prosecution Policy
c2c is committed to a fair and proactive approach in preventing and reducing fare evasion, ticketless travel and low level crime and disorder, as well as tackling more serious offences on its services. We expect all of our customers to travel with a valid ticket.
c2c operate a Penalty Fares scheme across its network. This scheme is in compliance with The Railways (Penalty Fares) Regulations 2018. To understand how the Penalty Fares system works on c2c, please view our frequently asked questions. These also explain how every passenger can buy their tickets before they travel.
c2c also operate a Prosecutions Department who take criminal and/ or civil enforcement action, based on the general principles below:
- Offenders on the railway may be referred to the Prosecutions department for breach of Railway Byelaws, The Fraud Act 2006 or the Regulations of Railway Act 1886.
- Each case is unique and will be considered on its own facts and merits.
- c2c must be fair and objective in the conduct of their duties.
- c2c will comply with The Equality Act 2010 and will not let personal views on items such as ethnic origin, gender, religion and sexual orientation play any part whatsoever in the consideration of any matter.
- c2c will endeavour to ensure the right perpetrator is identified and prosecuted for any offence.
- c2c will comply with the Data Protection Act 2018, in relation to all aspects of investigations and prosecutions. This includes the collection of personal data and its retention, disclosure and other processing.
- c2c Revenue Protection Officers will caution, question and report any suspect in accordance with the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE), where questions put to the suspect are likely to result in admissions or confessions prejudicial to the suspect’s case.
Prosecution Department Case Handling
Once c2c’s Prosecutions Department receive a case, the options available for enforcement include:
- Out of court settlement – financial compensation
- Prosecution in a Magistrates Court
- Referral to British Transport Police
